Something More Than This
by Katherine Austen
Summary: What was it like for our darling interns in their younger days? What were our dear Attendings up to in college? A look at the younger years of our favorite doctors. Addek, since they were together back then, some Maddison flirtation.
1. Chapter 1: Meredith

**Something More Than This**

**Summary:** What was it like for our darling interns in their younger days? What were our dear Attendings up to in college? A look at the younger years of our favorite doctors.

**Notes:** This was an idea that spawned from a post at greysforum dot com. We were talking about how a high school fic would be cool. So here it is. Its not one of those oh if they all knew each other fics. None of that. Only Addison, Mark & Derek will be in each other's chapters. Richard Webber will pop up randomly in Meredith's. Not sure how long I want to make this, but each chapter is a different character. I'm not sure if they're all even in the same year and what not. The interns are all in high school, the residents in college, the attendings in college getting ready to start an internship. All the main characters are going to show up, and it's my little peek into their lives, I hope I can do the show justice and this all comes out pretty accurate, well as much as it can be. And yes I'm still updating _The Choices We Make, _I'm working on a long chapter right now.

Read, enjoy and review if you like it, review if you don't!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Not even some random black panties.

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Meredith Grey's hot pink converse sneakers stomped up the stairs, rage filled her body and she just couldn't take it anymore. She pulled her backpack from her back and threw it as she entered her bedroom. She fell back on her bed, pulled her pillow over her face and screamed. She hated, utterly detested and loathed her life. The other girls at her high school were content with their perfect families and mother's that still insisted on baking cupcakes even though they were long out of kindergarten. She hadn't seen her father in years, and if she really sat and thought about how often she saw her mother, it would probably only add up to a few months out of her eighteen years.

Eighteen years of heartbreak, eighteen years of pain, eighteen years of feeling worthless.

She sat at her vanity and looked into her own eyes, past the thick black eyeliner and pink jagged bangs that hung over them, she saw emptiness, sorrow, pain and despair. Her mother never helped, just pressured and angered her. She knew, deep down inside, her mother had compassion and wanted the best for her, but had a god-awful way of displaying it. Medical school did slightly interest Meredith but she couldn't settle on anything. Graduation was quickly approaching and all she wanted to do was get away from it all.

Her boyfriend...could she even call him a boyfriend?...Her male companion of the moment only seemed to make matters worse with his constant shady behavior and lame excuses. He also seemed to be avoiding her at school today which made matter even more questionable. She pulled a picture of them together off of her vanity mirror and tore it in half.

_Scratch Brian Warner off the list,_ she told herself. She found him far too creepy at times anyways. Her third boyfriend of senior year and she hadn't even talked to the guy she lost her virginity to for months. She felt even more worthless as she slumped back in her chair and refused to lock eyes with herself in the mirror again.

The phone started to ring and she slowly made her way back to her bed to grab it from her nightstand, she sat down slowly as she answered.

"Meredith, I've got a major surgery in twenty minutes and I will not be home tonight most likely. This does not give you permission to stay up late or sit in front of the television and mope either. Get all your assignments done. There's plenty of food in the fridge, fix yourself something reasonably healthy. I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow morning, alright dear?" Ellis Grey, her mother, said stern and fast.

"Yeah, alright mom," Meredith sighed, slamming the phone back on the receiver after the goodbyes.

She forced herself to go downstairs and find something to eat, but as she stared in the fridge she felt as if a rock were sitting in her stomach, which gave her no desire to eat.

She debated going to the hospital to bum around, most teenagers spent their free time at the mall, but Meredith found solace in walking on the bright white linoleum and watching people struggle to find themselves as their loved ones struggled to live. Other people's pain helped her loneliness subside, even if only for a moment, because she didn't feel like she was the only person suffering.

Sometimes, if she were lucky she might get five minutes to talk to her mom, who'd stuff money in the pocket of her jeans and tell her to go pick her up some dinner.

Meredith did have a car, a large house to live in, and other nice things, but material things didn't fill her up like all the superficial girls in her high school. She craved human attention, affection, she needed someone to talk to. There was Marissa, the other lonely gothic girl in the senior class, but half the time she was too stoned to make decent conversation with.

Meredith sighed and brewed herself some tea. She decided the hospital wouldn't make her feel any better this time and decided she'd rather do homework and go to sleep.

At least in sleep, she could dream of something more.

The phone rang again and Meredith ran to pick it up. A man's voice caused her heart to jump, but as soon and he finished his sentence she sighed. A telemarketer, as always. And again, she hoped it was her father.

Her counselor kept pushing her to pick a college, pick a career, pick SOMETHING. She decided on Dartmouth by laying out pamphlets on the floor of her bedroom, closing her eyes and reaching for one. _Dartmouth College located in Hanover, New Hampshire..._She read over the pamphlet yet again and figured she wouldn't get in. Despite her lonely, angry young woman status, her grades were impeccable. School seemed to be the only place she could get anything out in, she'd channel her rage into the determination she needed to get her assignments done. Meredith Grey, the pink haired, black wearing angry young woman in the back of the class, with the 4.0 grade point average, rich doctor mom and huge house on the outskirts of Boston.

She heard the mail fall through the slot in the front door and went to scoop it up before her demented cat flew out of nowhere to attack it.

She flipped through, secretly hoping there would be something from her father. Instead her eyes widened and an anxious, nervous feeling overwhelmed her. The return address said Dartmouth college and she gulped down the last of her now cold tea, set her cup down and tore it open.

She didn't breathe while she read it. She couldn't. Given she could maintain her grade point average until graduation, she was accepted to Dartmouth College, the highly exclusive Dartmouth College. She was tempted to call her mother and listen to her cry out in delight, but she knew she'd probably be scrubbing in already.

She read the letter over and over again, New Hampshire wasn't far away, but it was far enough, and college life suddenly appealed to her. Hot college guys, loads of alcohol, and hopefully a roommate she could click with. Loads of other super smart rich kids, there'd have to be a handful of other angry goth kids in the mix.

She felt better, even if only for a moment. Perhaps she wasn't so worthless after all.

She dug through her cassettes, found a tape of The Cure, popped it in the stereo and danced around the living room.

_Take that, Brian Warner._ She thought.


	2. Chapter 2: Derek

NOTES: I haven't updated this fic in forever, and I had this chapter just sitting around waiting on only a little bit more writing to finish it so I decided to dust it off and work on it. This is the first of the Derek chapters, enjoy!

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Derek Shepherd clicked his pen a few times as he stared down at his class outline for the third time.

"Seat taken?" a chipper voice asked and he looked over for a moment before shaking his head. He immediately did a double take as a gorgeous woman sat to his left and set down her folders, books and removed her glasses, tucking them into her shirt. She had long glossy red hair and captivating eyes. Derek was awestruck.

"Addison Forbes Montgomery," she smiled, extending her hand.

"Derek, Derek Shepherd," he replied calmly, trying to keep his composure and not look like the typical male college student.

"Nice to meet you, Derek, where are you from?" Addison asked.

"Brooklyn," Derek answered, "And you?"

"Manhattan, upper west side, guess we didn't search to far, did we?" Addison laughed.

"Hey, I think NYU is a good choice," Derek shrugged with a coy smile.

"Agreed," Addison said.

"Upper west side, eh?" Derek asked.

Addison smirked, "Yes, jump to conclusions, I'm used to it."

"No, no conclusions..."

"Yes, I'm a rich girl. Though I don't like to use my money to dictate who I am."

"What about your looks?" Derek smirked.

"Are you hitting on me?" Addison laughed.

Derek shrugged, "Oh, I don't know, would you like me to?"

Addison laughed, " Well if we're going that route I like your hair."

"Thanks, I take pride in my appearance," Derek chuckled.

"I can see that," Addison replied.

The professor entered the room and Addison slipped her glasses back on, searching for her outline, Derek smiled and slid his over and Addison smiled back at him, mouthing thank you.

The professor went on and on about immunology and Derek half paid attention, he couldn't help but glance over repeatedly at the gorgeous red head next to him. He tried to pin point exactly who she reminded him of as she tucked her hair behind her ear and stared down at the professor with the utmost respect and full attention. She smelled like roses and her skin was pale and perfect, she caught him looking at him out of the corner of her eye and smirked.

What? She mouthed.

Derek smiled and shook his head and pretended to pay attention to the professor as Addison pulled out a slip of paper and scribbled on it.

She slid it over to Derek who eyed it and then took it into his hand.

_You can stop ogling me, here's my number. 212-555-4324. _

Derek grinned and gave her a nod.

Addison scribbled something else and slid it Derek's way.

_I like coffee. A lot. Yes, I'm dropping hints. _

Derek flipped the note over and scribbled something on the back, _How about lunch...on me_?

Addison nodded as she read the note and as soon as class was over Derek turned to her, "You like gyros?"

"I am a New Yorker, aren't I?" Addison laughed.

"Great, you have class now?" Derek asked.

"No, I have anatomy in two hours..."

"Professor Chan?" Derek asked.

Addison nodded, as Derek spoke, "Looks like we have Anatomy together too, so how about those gyros?"

"Sounds like a good idea," Addison smiled.

Derek was reading over his outlines as he heard a knock at his bedroom door.

"Come in," he sighed.

His best friend, Mark Sloan slipped in, eating a sandwich and smirking.

"I love your Mom, always saves me money coming over because I don't have to buy dinner," Mark laughed.

"Yes, use me for my mother, ass," Derek laughed.

"Hey, beats mine...where were you at lunch today...you know what, where were you after classes too?"

"Busy," Derek shrugged.

"Ahh, you get lucky?"

"Why do you always assume I got some if I say I was busy?" Derek asked. "I'm not you."

"What's her name?"

"Addison, and we just went out for lunch and then for coffee," Derek shrugged.

"Pussy," Mark chuckled. "Wait, Addison?"

"Oh shit, did you sleep with her?"

"I was debating it, if she's the tall red head with the yes...fuck you Derek, please say the Addison you're talking about is some mousy nerd."

"No, tall red head with the eyes, gave me her number even."

"DAMNIT. It's the hair isn't it? You won her over with the hair," Mark groaned.

"The hair always wins," Derek smirked.

"Eleven phone numbers and you get the most coveted one…what's she like?" Mark asked.

"Since when do you care about personality?" Derek laughed.

"I don't… "

"But…?"

Mark shrugged.

"She's sassy. I like it. She's forward but sophisticated…sultry voice. She's a catch, that's for sure."

"I hate you," Mark growled. "You get the screen queen, old Hollywood beauty and I have the cheerleaders who have done half the football team already."

"Aren't they your type?" Derek asked.

"I'm bored of them," Mark sighed.

"I'm sure you'll find your own 'screen queen' as you put it."

"Shit, I better. I'm the good looking one here," Mark grinned.

"Oh? And I'm what then?"

"They guy with the hair," Mark laughed.

"You're jealous, it's almost…feminine? You're acting like a little girl, I find it amusing."

"Little girl? Yeah we'll see who the little girl is when you come to me for advice," Mark stated.

"What? How to get into a girls pants in less than five minutes?"

"Something like that," Mark chuckled.

Derek was more than happy to have Addison find him and sit next to him in immunology the next day.

"Good morning, Derek," she smiled, sliding over a cup of hot chocolate.

"Good morning yourself, Addison. You brought me coffee? Nice! I appreciate it," Derek said.

"No, not coffee," Addison said, shaking her red locks wildly. "Hot chocolate."

"I didn't picture you to be a hot chocolate sort of girl," Derek grinned.

"Oh, I'm full of surprises," Addison laughed. "Plus, I didn't want to steal your thunder and buy coffee."

"Ah, I see. Well I appreciate the lack of caffeine in the morning," Derek laughed, taking a sip. "Oh, well, fantastic tasting lack of caffeine I mean…"

Addison scooted close to Derek and leaned in to ask him a question, "So are we going to do this lunch thing on a regular basis?"

"I…if you'd like I think I can fit you into my schedule," Derek grinned. There she was, perfect in every sense of the word and Derek wanted to sink into nothingness. He wasn't good enough for her. She was a rich girl with fancy clothes and an expensive car and he was a Brooklyn boy with scholarship and a dead father. Her smile lit up the entire room and Derek wondered why she liked him enough to make their lunch dates a regular thing. He couldn't offer her the lifestyle she was used to but she still sat beside him, smiling and batting her blue eyes.

"Good," Addison smiled. "Because I've cleared mine for you."


End file.
